Not too long ago, Sara Weinstein ’14 and Dylan Lockwood ’15 were toggling between classes together on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Combs. Both English majors, they were chasing their dreams and finding their futures as young undergrads. A study group they formed on their own brought a new kind of Mary Washington magic, one that led to their upcoming marriage in May.
“We hung out once outside of class to study and the rest is history,” Weinstein posted on Facebook.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, UMW turned to social media for stories like Weinstein and Lockwood’s, and wound up with more than 3,000 engagements on Facebook alone. Starry-eyed alums posted pictures of themselves cozied up to their significant other – at the fountain, in the amphitheater, and by the buildings they cherished and, sometimes, named children after. (Think Marye, Mason and Marshall.)
Married for years or in the midst of planning their big day, they gushed about the love Mary Washington brought to their lives and the campus that captured their hearts.
Leah Roth ’16 and Chris Somerville ’14, both biology majors and Eagle athletes – she played soccer; he played baseball – posted their plans for a June wedding with some of their best Mary Washington friends by their sides. Psychology major Courtney Braman ’16 and business major Grant Swenson ’16, who met their first day as undergrads in a Trinkle Hall math class, will say their vows in September.
Married 20 years in October – where does the time go? – Bethany Farmer’96 and Rob McAllister ’95 gave their matchmaker, Christopher Harrell ’95, a shout-out. Jennifer Caruth ’95 and John Cheatham ’93, who met at an off-campus hangout, Christopher’s Lounge at the Holiday Inn, have been married 24 years. English major Shannon Eadie and economics major Frank Niemeyer will celebrate their silver wedding anniversary this summer. Both 1991 grads, they shared their first date at the iconic Junior Ring Dance at Mary Washington.
Debate Camp in Chandler Hall made a match for Jackie McCauley ’94, MLS ’01 and husband of 24 years Hunter Clark ’93. Business major Kevin Kincaid ’99 met wife Jennifer Moss ’02, a theatre major, at a cast party for a Fredericksburg Theatre Company production of Annie.
Sara Brecht and BLS student James Johnson, both 2005 grads, met in the basement of Monroe Hall, where they had class with Professor of Economics Steve Greenlaw, who came to their wedding. Sociology major Chelsea Givler ’13, M.Ed ’14, and husband English major Doug Schultz ’12 met as freshmen living in Mason.
Spanish major Megan Concannon ’95 and sociology major Christopher Richardson ’95 met as sophomores residing in Marshall. They married in 1997, giving one of their daughters the middle name of “Marye” in honor of the UMW building that’s home to Residence Life.
Jennifer Rice ’94 met husband Dave Henderson ’95 at Mary Washington, but the two didn’t start dating till later. “We loved Mary Wash so much,” Rice posted, “my husband now teaches [accounting] there.”
Colette Strawn ’97 and Michael Johnson ’96 clearly can’t stay away, either. They married at Mary Washington in 2002 and posted, “We were just on campus last weekend.”
Check out all the #UMWlovestory posts on Facebook and Instagram.
